connotation

noun con·no·ta·tion \ ˌkä-nə-ˈtā-shən \

Updated on: 10 Apr 2018

Definition of connotation

1 a : something suggested by a word or thing : implication

the connotations of comfort that surrounded that old chair

b : the suggesting of a meaning by a word apart from the thing it explicitly names or describes

2 : the signification of something

… that abuse of logic which consists in moving counters about as if they were known entities with a fixed connotation.
—William Ralph Inge

3 : an essential property or group of properties of a thing named by a term in logic — compare denotation

—

connotational

play \ˌkä-nə-ˈtā-shnəl, -shə-nᵊl\ adjective

See connotation defined for English-language learners

See connotation defined for kids

Examples of connotation in a Sentence

Miuccia Prada, a connoisseur of vintage jewelry, has a collection of tiaras and subverts their formal connotations by wearing them for the day. —Hamish Bowles, Vogue, March 1997
Suddenly, Hsun-ching brightened. "So this is propaganda?" Alison did not know that, in Chinese, the word for propaganda literally means to spread information, and does not carry any negative connotations. —Mark Salzman, The Laughing Sutra, 1991
The word "evolution," with its connotation of unrolling, of progressive development, was not favored by Darwin; he preferred the bleak phrase "descent with modification" for his theory. —John Updike, New Yorker, 30 Dec. 1985
a word with negative connotations
For many people, the word “fat” has negative connotations.
The word “childlike” has connotations of innocence.

Recent Examples of connotation from the Web

The word immigrant has had a negative connotation in our society.

— andrea alonso, Los Angeles Magazine, "This L.A.-Based Artist Wants You to Consider Your Immigrant Status," 4 Apr. 2018
The word that keeps cropping up is vozhd, an ancient term imbued with mythic connotations that signifies a chieftain who stands above history, one who embodies the enduring will of the entire nation.

— fred weir, The Christian Science Monitor, "With Russians feeling besieged, some give Putin a loaded title: vozhd," 2 Apr. 2018
Chicken has a healthy connotation, from enchiladas and pot pies, to quesadillas and Cajun crispy to pulled and blackened, Reed Merdinger said.

— shonda talerico dudlicek, Lake County News-Sun, "Clucker's menu is all about chicken," 26 Mar. 2018
The name, Taco Trucks at Every Mosque, is a twist on a phrase that was originally intended to have negative connotations.

— y.c. orozco, Houston Chronicle, "Effort seeks to build bonds between Muslims, Latinos, one taco truck at a time," 25 Mar. 2018
There’s just one issue: the name has some unsavory connotations.

— meghan bartels, Newsweek, "NASA Named Its Next New Horizons Target Ultima Thule, a Mythical Land With a Nazi Connection," 14 Mar. 2018
In the teaser clip for the interview, Vicky discusses her husband’s addiction as a disease, and that there is often a negative connotation that comes along with the idea of an addict.

— rania aniftos, Billboard, "Chris Cornell's Wife Talks Singer's Battle With Addiction on 'Good Morning America': 'My Husband Was the Farthest Thing From a Rockstar Junkie'," 20 Feb. 2018
Bats seem to have a negative connotation in the collective mind of the masses, Foss said.

— jennifer bolton, Houston Chronicle, "Warmer temps could mean run-ins with bats in the Houston area," 13 Mar. 2018
But the crescent already means love, even though the media has tainted it with terrible connotations, the crescent on its own comes from a religion of love and a religion of acceptance.

— celine semaan, The Cut, "A Fashion Designer and an Activist Talk Cultural Appropriation," 9 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'connotation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

What’s the difference between connotation and denotation ?

Connotation and denotation are easily confused, and the fact that neither word is particularly common in everyday use makes it difficult for many people to get a firm grip on the difference between them. While each of these two words has several possible meanings, they are notably distinct from each other in all senses. Denotation is concerned with explicit meaning, and connotation tends to be concerned with implicit meaning. The word home, for instance, has a denotation of “the place (such as a house or apartment) where a person lives,” but it may additionally have many connotations (such as “warmth,” “security,” or “childhood”) for some people.